"When the door was closed, and the two vehicles had gone, Gobseck rose
to his feet and began to prance about.

"'I have the diamonds! I have the diamonds!' he cried again and
again, 'the beautiful diamonds! such diamonds! and tolerably cheaply.
Aha! aha! Werbrust and Gigonnet, you thought you had old Papa Gobseck!
_Ego sum papa_! I am master of the lot of you! Paid! paid, principal and
interest! How silly they will look to-night when I shall come out with
this story between two games of dominoes!'

"The dark glee, the savage ferocity aroused by the possession of a few
water-white pebbles, set me shuddering. I was dumb with amazement.

"'Aha! There you are, my boy!' said he. 'We will dine together. We
will have some fun at your place, for I haven't a home of my own, and
these restaurants, with their broths, and sauces, and wines, would
poison the Devil himself.'

"Something in my face suddenly brought back the usual cold, impassive
expression to his.

"'You don't understand it,' he said, and sitting down by the hearth,
he put a tin saucepan full of milk on the brazier.--'Will you
breakfast with me?' continued he. 'Perhaps there will be enough here
for two.'

"'Thanks,' said I, 'I do not breakfast till noon.'

"I had scarcely spoken before hurried footsteps sounded from the
passage. The stranger stopped at Gobseck's door and rapped; there was